produce

Produce to Show Understanding

Building a profile of individual students is not as difficult as you might think. To start, you are going to build a profile of yourself through a learning experience similar to a learning experience you might provide for your students.
The learning experience you are about to immerse yourself in is based on the concept of digital citizenship. What does digital citizenship mean? If you have concept mapping software, start a map based on the concept of digital citizenship and do some brainstorming. If you don’t have concept mapping software, use a word processor or even pen and paper to record your ideas.
Once you have finished brainstorming, visit the websites below to read about the concept of Digital Citizenship. As you read, record and organize information regarding digital citizenship on your concept map.

http://www.securityconference.utah.gov/2005_summary/mribble_dig_citizen.pdf
http://www.coe.ksu.edu/digitalcitizenship/ISTECompass.pdf
http://coe.ksu.edu/digitalcitizenship/

Share your concept map with other group members if you have been working as a group.
Now, take a copy of the continuum and search for descriptors that describe your behaviour as you learned about digital citizenship and created a representation of your understanding. How many descriptors, both in the cognitive and affective domain apply to this learning experience and to your literacy with ICT?
Once you have finished creating your profile, reflect on the following questions and discuss with other group members:
1. Which snapshot would best fit the profile that you have created?
2. Do you see some gaps in your profile?
3. How could you “fill” some of those gaps?


Creating Student Profiles

How do you create student profiles of literacy with ICT? Following the example of the previous learning experience with digital citizenship, you can use any learning experience that infuses ICT to assess students’ literacy with ICT.
Together, teachers and students can use the continuum to develop individual student profiles of literacy with ICT by indicating the descriptors that apply to any specific student. These profiles differ from the snapshots, in that individual students may have demonstrated some behaviours beyond the expectations of their snapshot, but may have not yet shown other behaviours that are also part of that snapshot. The individual student profiles indicate the ways in which individual students have developed deep understanding and extended their learning; the profiles also identify other aspects of individual students’ literacy with ICT that they need to develop (assessment FOR learning).
Students can use a friendly language version of the continuum for self-assessment (assessment AS learning). By selecting evidence of their learning, they determine for themselves which behaviours they are already able to demonstrate and which ones they still need to develop. As parents view evidence of their child’s learning, and if they are interested in doing so, viewing this friendly language version of the continuum, they can acknowledge and celebrate, with all involved, their child’s literacy with ICT, and collaboratively set goals to extend their child’s learning.
You will need to record your observations of your students’ behavior when using ICT. This will allow you to find where each student currently is on the continuum and will show "gaps" in their learning. It will also reveal where the "gaps" are in the learning experiences you provide to your students. Do you observe very few student behaviours from the affective domain for example? That is an opportunity for you to plan learning experiences that incorporate some of the "missing" Big Ideas and their corresponding descriptors.
Keep in mind that the continuum is not a checklist. You can't observe a child demonstrating a behaviour described in a descriptor and consider it a "fait accompli". You need to observe students over time and record anecdotal information about the context in which the descriptor was observed. Students should also gather evidence of their learning and include this in an electronic portfolio like ePearl. And, of course, you need to have conversations with the students to find out what they were thinking and have them reflect on their use of ICT during the completion of the learning experiences(s).
How do you record the data for each student’s profile of literacy with ICT? You can jot it on stickie notes while you observe a student and then find the matching descriptor on the continuum after the fact. You can have students self-assess and use the student-friendly version of the continuum to find themselves on the continuum. You can record your observations in any way that you like. The process you use to record doesn't matter. What matters is it works for you! Remember, however, that observations should occur over time. A one-time observation will not form an accurate and complete picture of the student!
So choose a learning experience and let the observations begin! If you need some help with finding a lesson that infuses ICT, visit **Curriculum Navigator** for some ideas that relate to Manitoba curriculum.
Remember that observing students and creating profiles is only part of assessing, evaluating and reporting on student progress. Conversations and portfolios are essential. Please read here to learn more about assessing students’ literacy with ICT.